Islanders Begin Barry Trotz Era With Victory Over Hurricanes

Josh Bailey, left, and Anders Lee after Bailey scored the winning goal in overtime for the Islanders against the Hurricanes on Thursday night.CreditCreditGerry Broome/Associated Press

By The Associated Press

Oct. 4, 2018

Josh Bailey scored a power-play goal 43 seconds into overtime, and the Islanders opened the season by beating the host Carolina Hurricanes, 2-1, on Thursday night.

Valtteri Filppula also scored as the Islanders began the post-John Tavares era by giving Coach Barry Trotz a victory in his debut with the team and spoiling Rod Brind’Amour’s first game behind the Carolina bench.

Trotz took over shortly after leading Washington to its first Stanley Cup title, taking over after Doug Weight was fired. Brind’Amour, the captain of Carolina’s Cup-winning team in 2006, replaced Bill Peters after he left for Calgary. Tavares left for Toronto as a free agent.

“The amount of work this whole staff has put in has been pretty remarkable, and the amount of information coming our way is overwhelming at times,” said the Islanders’ Cal Clutterbuck. He said of Trotz: “Good to see him get that first one. He’s a seasoned guy, and I think he’s prepared us well.”

Jordan Staal sent it to overtime by scoring a deflected goal with 1 minute 35 seconds remaining in regulation for Carolina, but the Islanders started overtime with a four-on-three advantage after Micheal Ferland was called for tripping Mathew Barzal with 3.2 seconds left.

Barzal, the reigning rookie of the year, threaded a cross-ice pass from the circle to Bailey, who snapped the puck past Petr Mrazek.

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Jesper Fast scored for the Rangers in the second period. Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) went on to score the tiebreaking goal early in the third period.CreditFrank Franklin Ii/Associated Press

Thomas Greiss made 45 saves for the Islanders and for a long while appeared headed for another save-heavy shutout in Raleigh. He also stopped 45 shots in a 3-0 victory over Carolina on Feb. 16.

But with Mrazek on the bench for an extra attacker, Dougie Hamilton uncorked a blast that clipped Staal’s backside on its way past Greiss. The goal stood after a review to determine whether Ferland interfered with Greiss.

PREDATORS 3, RANGERS 2 Defenseman P. K. Subban scored the tiebreaking goal 3:28 into the third period, and Nashville won at Madison Square Garden, spoiling the N.H.L. regular-season debut of the new Rangers coach, David Quinn.

“I didn’t think we really played to the level that we’re looking for,” said Quinn, who was the coach at Boston University. “Obviously, we are up against a team that’s one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, so it was certainly a great test. I just thought we were hesitant. I didn’t think we hounded the puck like we did in the preseason.”

Colton Sissons added a goal and an assist for the Predators, who had the top record in the league last season.

Jesper Fast scored in the second period for the Rangers, who missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years. Pavel Buchnevich added a goal with 35 seconds left, and Henrik Lundqvist had 30 saves.